BEITUNIYA CHECKPOINT, West Bank (AP) — Nearly 200 Palestinian prisoners freed today by Israel walked into Palestinian-controlled territory to cheers and applause, just hours before U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was due to arrive on her latest peace mission.

The prisoners arrived at Beitunia, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, after a short drive from Ofer prison outside Jerusalem. The prisoners, some waving black-and-white checkered keffiyeh headdresses as they got out of Israeli buses, kissed the ground before boarding Palestinian vehicles.

Israel said the release is a gesture meant to bolster moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and give a boost to the slow-moving peace talks with the moderate Palestinian leader.

“It’s not easy for Israel to release prisoners. Some of the individuals being released today are guilty of direct involvement in the murder of innocent civilians,” government spokesman Mark Regev said. “But we understand the importance of the prisoner issue for Palestinian society ... We believe this action can support the negotiation process and create goodwill.”

The fate of the roughly 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails is highly emotional, since many Palestinians  know someone in prison.